Gothic Chapel at Crown Hill Cemetery - Indianapolis, IN - Cemetery Chapels on Waymarking.com

In 1875, German architect Diedrich A. Bolen designed an impressive limestone Gothic Vault, today known as the Gothic Chapel.

Originally a temporary storage vault for those awaiting burial, it contained 96 crypts in the side rooms off the central part of the chapel. The design and construction of the chapel and vault cost $38,922.25. They were restored in the early 1970s for $120,000 and again in the early 2000s for $3 million. Among many other features, this recent restoration included the addition of a vestibule on the front as well as a custom-built organ. The project received an Excellence in Architecture Award from the American Institute of Architects, Indiana Chapter, in 2007.

The Gothic Chapel is now used for funeral services, tours and special events including concerts, dinners, lectures and weddings.

• The designer, Diedrich Bohlen, also designed the Indianapolis City Market, the Morris-Butler House and the Murat Shine Temple.
• The Gothic Vault held the body of Hoosier poet James Whitcomb Riley for over a year after his death in 1916.
• In addition to being a temporary place of entombment, the Gothic Chapel served as an alternate venue for funeral services in poor weather.
-Gothic Chapel

Date of Chapel Construction: 1875 Denomination of Chapel or Cemetery (if applicable): None Active Chapel?: yes Main Construction Material of Chapel: Limestone Description of Cemetery added in Long Description: yes

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